I THINK I could have cycled all the way to Lisboa today, that's how strong I felt. Definitely in a groove, now that tomorrow is the last real cycling day.

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Internet is sketchy here so not sure how much I can update today.

Another early morning just because it looked so darn nice outside. The crescent moon was over the castelo on the hill. I just had to get ready and get downstairs for a 7 am breakfast snack. I think I was rolling by 7:15 am, heading out under the big blue sky. Another tailwind. Another start down a long descent. Another day that was more downhill than uphill. In short, great cycling today.

Many of today's roads were through rows of plane or pine trees with a 1 m margin. It was busy, though, with quite a few trucks, but they are very respectful toward cyclists and moved right over, waiting if they had to if a car was coming from the other direction.

I looked down to see that I was at 50 km already and it was still early. I think I could have gone 100 km today. Easily. I turned off of the busy N4 road onto some country road with endless acres of vineyards on both sides of the road. Some seemed to be new plantings, others much older, but they went on and on and on. I noticed a few adegas as well, which seemed to be wine cooperatives for the area or municipality.

I arrived around 10 am and was let into the gate by another guest, who is Portuguese but is married to an Estonian. They were here with their 3 yr old daughter. Though they live in Estonia now, they are in Évora now while she works on her PhD. He is a travel writer and after asking him questions about Portugal, he gave me a really interesting 'lesson' about Portugal and the Portuguese. It is too bad they had to leave since he was fascinating. He gave me his card, telling me to contact him in Lisbon on Wednesday if I want. I just might do.

This place is a working farm, but it has a grouping of cottages around a little courtyard on the property. My room is not quite ready so I am enjoying my writing and updating at a table outside. It is beautiful here.

The one nearby restaurant, an apparently great seafood restaurant, is closed today since the fishermen don't work on Sunday. My only real alternative was the grocery store, about a ten minute walk away. I picked up odds and ends for lunch, supper, and breakfast, then back to the farm for a relaxing afternoon with a book.

Sao Silvestre Horse Farm €30